Ontario Construction News staff writer
Halton Healthcare has officially begun construction on a major expansion that will add up to 123 acute care beds at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and Milton District Hospital.
Officials marked the start of the project Aug. 30, recognizing more than $150 million in provincial funding.
The expansion will add 111 beds at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) and 12 beds at Milton District Hospital (MDH), increasing inpatient capacity in one of Ontario’s fastest-growing and aging regions.
Rather than constructing a new hospital, Halton Healthcare will convert purpose-built but unfinished, or “shelled,” space into patient care areas. Three floors of unfinished space at OTMH and one floor at MDH will be completed as part of the project.
“Our government is making historic investments to protect Ontario’s health-care system, ensuring that more people in Halton and surrounding regions can connect to the care they need, where and when they need it,” Health Minister Sylvia Jones said at the ceremony. “As part of our $64 billion health infrastructure plan, today’s milestone means more families in the region will have access to world-class hospital care, closer to home.”
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with the new spaces scheduled to open to patients in spring 2028.
Halton Healthcare says completing existing unfinished hospital space will allow the additional capacity to come online significantly faster and more cost-effectively than building a new facility. At the peak of construction, the project is expected to support about 200 construction jobs.
The expanded facilities will include modern private and semi-private patient rooms, with the additional beds expected to improve access to hospital care, help reduce wait times and ease pressure on the regional health-care system.
“This investment represents true collaboration across our health system, with a shared focus on putting patients first,” said Melissa Farrell, president and CEO of Halton Healthcare.“By working together to expand hospital capacity, we’re ensuring that people across our region can access care when and where they need it most.
“These additional beds will help reduce wait times, ease system pressures, and support safe, high-quality care close to home.”
Halton Healthcare said the number of residents aged 75 and older in Halton Region is expected to double over the next 20 years, increasing demand for hospital services. The expansion is intended to address both current capacity pressures and future growth in the region, while supporting patients across the broader regional health-care system.
